Depilator Housing with Integrated Bearings and Gear Train

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hair removal devices are complex and costly due to their numerous removable parts, leading to high manufacturing expenses and time, while seeking a solution that reduces complexity and cost while maintaining performance and reliability.

Innovation Solution

An electric depilation device with a hollow body composed of two one-piece half-shells that assemble to form a hair removal chamber, integrating support bearings and a gear train, and featuring a non-removable epilation head to simplify assembly and reduce part count, with a partition to prevent hair dissemination and enhance reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If a removable hair removal head is used, then the device allows for easy maintenance and part replacement, but the device complexity and number of parts increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance and part replacementVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into a housing and a hair removal head assembly that can be separated. The head assembly includes the depilation head, support bearings, and gear train, which can be removed as a unit for maintenance while simplifying the overall part count through functional integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If multiple separate components are used, then the device allows for flexible assembly and manufacturing, but the manufacturing cost and assembly time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexible assemblyVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The support bearings for the depilation head and the immobilizing ribs for the motor are integrated directly into the housing structure rather than being separate components. This merging of functions reduces the number of parts and assembly steps while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through modular head assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the depilation head is removable, then the device allows for head replacement and versatility, but the reliability and assembly simplicity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehead replacementVSAvoidassembly simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The depilation head is designed as a removable assembly that can be replaced, providing versatility. The segmentation allows the head to be separated from the housing for replacement while the integrated support bearings and immobilizing ribs ensure reliable reassembly with proper positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2436282B1Low-cost depilator
Publication Date: 2013.05.08 SEB SA
  • EP2436282B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2436282B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The apparatus has a hollow body comprising an electric motor (15) associated with a worm train rotatingly driving a rotary mechanical depilation head (10). The body comprises two half-shells (2), which combinedly define a depilation chamber opened at the level of a depilation window defined by an edge of each half-shell. The head is placed at inside the window to be flush at the level of the window. One of the half-shells integrates support bearings (11, 12, 29-32) supporting the head and/or the worm train and/or ribs (16) for immobilizing the motor.